Supplier Quality Assurance Specialist

Richelieu Foods•Beaver Dam, WI

21h•$70,000 - $90,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Supplier Quality Assurance Specialist is responsible for ensuring that all ingredients, raw materials, packaging materials, and suppliers meet Richelieu Foods Inc. (RFI) food safety, quality, regulatory, and customer requirements across all manufacturing locations. This position supports supplier qualification, risk management, compliance verification, performance monitoring, and issue resolution to ensure a robust supplier quality program. The role works closely with Procurement, Operations, Research & Development (R&D), Regulatory Affairs, and Quality teams to protect the business, support customer expectations, and drive continuous improvement throughout the supply chain.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Quality Assurance, or a related scientific discipline required.
Minimum of 5 years of experience in food safety, quality assurance, supplier quality, or regulatory compliance within the food manufacturing industry.
Experience managing supplier approval programs and supplier documentation preferred.
Experience within private-label, retail, or multi-site manufacturing environments preferred.
Working knowledge of FSMA, GMPs, HACCP, supplier quality systems, and food safety regulations.
Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail and documentation accuracy.
Ability to perform root cause analysis and support effective problem-solving activities.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret supplier performance data and identify trends.
Effective written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Strong cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, and data management systems.

Nice To Haves

HACCP Certification
Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) Certification, or willingness to obtain
Experience with GFSI-recognized standards, including SQF, BRCGS, and FSSC 22000

Responsibilities

Support the onboarding, qualification, and approval of new ingredient and packaging suppliers.
Review supplier documentation, including specifications, food safety plans, certifications, audit reports, and regulatory compliance records.
Verify supplier compliance with RFI food safety and quality standards.
Maintain the Approved Supplier List (ASL) and ensure supplier documentation remains current and complete.
Support ingredient and packaging material review, approval, and release activities.
Assist with Out-of-Specification (OOS) investigations and Disposition Authorization (DA) documentation.
Execute and maintain supplier risk assessment and segmentation programs.
Evaluate supplier risk based on factors including product category, country of origin, manufacturing process, audit history, and regulatory exposure.
Support the implementation of risk-based monitoring programs, including audit frequency, documentation review, and performance evaluations.
Review and support shelf-life extension requests, product releases, and hold decisions.
Partner with the Quality Systems Manager to continuously improve supplier risk assessment methodologies and oversight processes.
Review and verify supplier compliance with applicable regulatory and food safety requirements, including FSMA, GMPs, HACCP, and GFSI-recognized standards.
Manage supplier documentation, including: Certificates of Analysis (COAs), Product specifications, Allergen declarations, Letters of Guarantee (LOGs), Insurance certificates, Food safety certifications.
Support COA review, follow-up, approval, and compliance tracking.
Monitor supplier certification status (SQF, BRCGS, FSSC 22000, etc.) and ensure timely renewals.
Support traceability documentation and regulatory readiness initiatives.
Monitor and analyze supplier performance metrics, including: Documentation compliance and responsiveness, Incoming material quality performance, Supplier-related customer complaints, Specification deviations and nonconformances, Corrective action responsiveness and effectiveness.
Maintain supplier scorecards and communicate performance trends to internal stakeholders.
Support supplier corrective action follow-up and continuous improvement initiatives.
Coordinate and drive timely resolution of ingredient and packaging material holds.
Support investigations into supplier-related food safety, quality, and regulatory issues.
Assist with root cause analysis and the development of corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs).
Track supplier corrective actions through completion and verify effectiveness.
Escalate recurring, unresolved, or high-risk supplier issues to the Quality Systems Manager and Director of FSQA as appropriate.
Support the execution of supplier audit programs, including remote and on-site assessments.
Review third-party audit reports and monitor corrective action commitments.
Assist in preparing documentation and responses for customer, regulatory, and certification audits related to supplier management programs.
Partner with Procurement to ensure supplier selection and sourcing decisions align with company quality and food safety expectations.
Support R&D during ingredient approval, product development, and commercialization activities.
Communicate supplier risks, performance concerns, and compliance issues to key stakeholders.
Contribute to the continuous improvement of supplier quality systems, processes, and performance monitoring tools.